Cody Belter Blog

The Photography industry is seeing this more and more fly by night photographers now that DSLR’s are becoming cheaper. But this just blows my mind how some people are under cutting the industry. I have talked to people about this before about the $500 Wedding Photographer but this is just crazy. I just don’t know what to say to this $7/hr to shoot photo’s and give the client the images over email or D/L them to their computer ? What is minimum wage now $9-$10 ? your selling your self short and making the photography industry look bad. If this is what you want to do for a living and your Passionate do it right, Don’t sell your self short. If your worth $7/hr you mite as well shot for nothing and just be a hobby photographer.

Cody

Work Smart NOT Hard

I have been working for a Professional Photography studio for the past 3 years and the last year of that I have being the owner. With working for some else I never though much about the little, big things that go on that I brushed off as employee.

It has been a year now with me working for myself and I have loved every moment of it. Everything is rewarding. But it has opened my eyes a lot in the past few months ever since I got back from my summer holidays.

When I took over the studio I wanted to have a community of friend/photographer that we go hang out all the time take photos collaborate on shoots, learn new things, and so on. There is nothing wrong with that at all. But if you finds your self doing that all the time you mite as well close your doors and just shoot photos as a hobbyist or get a fulltime 9-5 and shoot on the weekends because most collaboration only benefit your mind not your wallet or your businesses bank account.  I love the though of collaborating working with other photographers, different shoots, new Clients, and so on but if it only really benefits the photographer that set everything up what’s the point? At the end of day I love my Job, Career, Lifestyle, and everything Photography bring to the table. But I have stepped up to the plate bought a business, paid my due to the city and my clients, with that said you can’t shoot for free. This will just ruin the industry.  Figure out what you are worth as an Artist/business person. NOT a Photographer, why do I say this? Because of the digital age of camera’s every one thinks they are a photographer and will do work for free or a few hundred and give you the disk of uncorrected, Un-sharp, overexposed, underexposed, grainy/noise, shot on full auto let the camera do all the work images. An take your money and run, if you don’t like what they gave to you to bad you paid $200 for everything for your wedding/family photos.

OK I know that was a little over the top but it is true. I thrive on quality to its highest form. I have gone to conferences; I currently belong to PPOC (Professional Photographers of Canada), WPPI (Wedding Portrait Photography Institute), and looking for a few more that will benefit my Studio and my Clients. I’m in this industry because I’m an artist and love what I do because it puts a smile on Peoples faces and fules my mind. The weekend warriors just does it for something to do or to put a few more bucks in their pocket to get that flat screen TV at the big box store.

So what I have learned this past year of being a studio owner? I am no longer a Photographer I’m an Artist/business owner that displays and sells my work with a Camera. With being a one man show I have found my self pushing 14-16 hour days when I could delegate things to web designers, graphic designers, accountant, and do what I need to do more Shoot photos and deal with my clients. Then once that is all done I can spend time with the things that are close to me in life, my wife, my dogs, my family, and friends. This is the hole reason I am working for my self to a some freedom in my life, not to be stuck behind my desk, after studio hours updating my website, doing my books, while the things in life that matter most to me are wondering where I am and when I’m coming home.

So to end this all off find ways to work your business Smarter not harder. It took me a year to figure key things out and most likely I will learn a lot more next year and the year after that. Always keep your eyes open and if you want to do something don’t do it half way. Go all the way get that business space, get that business license, register that name, and quit that 9-5 and do what you love just don’t do it on your free time. I have been doing what I love for the past 3 years now and love everyday no matter how stressful some days can make me feel.

Get out there and do it right, Work Smart not hard, Enjoy the things in your life,

Cody

Shutterbug Photography

Owner and Artist with a Camera

FaceBook, Twitter, Flickr, some on and so on, These are all great tool to build you web presence and get your name out there. But they take alot of time out of your work day. I know for me I alway ran them in the back ground and worked at the same time.  Alot of the time people spend more time on the Social media sites then actually working. Then find them selves working longer hours not meeting deadlines or just getting things in at the nick of time which leads to stress. I was just recently at a conference that touched base on this subject and with the average Photographer working 70hr a week here is the break down.

Shooting 9hr

Editing 6hr<— crazy (building albums, editing photos for blogs, advertisements ect.)

Photoshop 25hr <—– crazy

Admin 10hr

Social Media 11hr <—— Crazy

Selling 5hr

Mettings 3hr

Marketing 1 hr

Essence of business .75hr

I took a minute and mapped out my work week and its was different but i found same place that new less time and some that need more time.

I hope this helps everyone revamp a few thing.

Work smarter not Harder.

Cody